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Cats strangle Dockers in AFL thrashing

Sam Lienert

Geelong have roared back to form with a vengeance after last round's fade-out against Brisbane to squeeze the life out of AFL top-four rivals Fremantle in a Simonds Stadium thrashing.

The Cats, who had promised to regain their defensive edge, delivered in ferocious style, keeping the Dockers goal-less in the first term and scoreless in the third on the way to their 11.19 (85) to 7.2 (44) win.

The victory over the side that knocked Geelong out of last year's finals lifted the Cats to an 11-2 record and second spot ahead of next Saturday night's blockbuster MCG clash with top-placed Hawthorn.

Tom Hawkins, Steven Motlop and Joel Corey each kicked two majors, but it was the Cats' efforts in winning the contested ball and stifling Fremantle's ball movement that stood out.

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It was comfortably the lowest score the Dockers have managed this season and the smallest total to which Geelong have restricted an opponent.

The tone was set early, when the Cats scored the only three goals of the first term, including two to Hawkins.

Fremantle managed to scrounge four straight goals to Geelong's 2.3 in the second quarter to be within 11 points at the main break.

But the Cats then took utter control.

They outscored Fremantle 2.9 to no score in the third quarter and put another two shots out on the full, with the Dockers entering their attacking 50m arc just once for the term and rarely even entering their attacking half.

The Cats dominated clearances and contested ball and when the Dockers did get possession, harassed them and blocked their space to win it back and surge again.

The only blot was a series of missed shots.

But that changed in the last term, with early goals to Motlop and sub Jordan Murdoch, while the Dockers didn't enter their attacking 50m zone until the 10-minute mark.

Midfielder Allen Christensen was outstanding for the Cats with 36 hard-won touches, including 12 in the third quarter, as well as eight tackles, while James Kelly, Mitch Duncan and Jimmy Bartel also shone.

Key defender Harry Taylor provided superb rebound.

For the Dockers, Danyle Pearce battled hard in midfield and tagger Ryan Crowley did well on Joel Selwood.

Fremantle clearly felt the absence of injured midfield stars David Mundy and Michael Barlow and lost Paul Duffield to an apparent calf injury, while Michael Johnson received treatment to his left knee, although played out the game.

Geelong's Josh Hunt was subbed off with illness.

Cats coach Chris Scott said it was the response Geelong had been looking for after their flop against the Lions.

"It was one thing to put in the work during the week and be really clear what we wanted from each other, but another thing to get out there and actually execute it against a really good team," he said.

"There are some good signs there, but we were embarrassed after the week before and we've been questioned on the defensive side of our game and that stings."

Dockers coach Ross Lyon said the Cats monstered his side after halftime and were lucky not to lose by more.

"The scoreboard flatters us, 40 points, it felt like 80 points," he said.

He said Fremantle missed Mundy and Barlow, but that pair, Aaron Sandilands, Matthew Pavlich and late withdrawal Lee Spurr should all return against St Kilda next round.